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Exhibition Objects

Welcome to Exploring Objects. Here you can explore the rich collection of objects that have been unearthed from the Creswell Heritage Area. To find an object, type in the words that best describe what you are looking for and click ‘Search’

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Reindeer antler

Antler from female reindeer from Pin Hole.
Middle Last Ice Age, 35,000 years old

This is a section of antler from a female reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and is about 35,000 years old. The antler was excavated by A.L. Armstrong from Pin Hole, between 1924 and 1936.

Armstrong found this specimen at about 20 metres (66') in from the entrance at a depth of just over 1 metre (4') within the Inner Chamber, just in front of the opening to the side passage. There are no signs that the antler has been worked by people which might suggest that carnivores, such as wolves, brought the antlers into the cave which they were using as a den. Female reindeer shed their antlers between late April and early June. This shed antler appears to be one of many female and young male antlers found by Armstrong in this part of the cave. During this phase of the Last Cold Stage there were numerous short lived fluctuations in climate. Due to the limitations of radiocarbon dating to isolate different events, it is impossible to say whether these reindeer migrated to the Creswell area to calve or lived in the area all year round. This specimen has been dated to 34,360 ± 750 years ago (OxA-3407), a date during the middle of the Last Cold Stage.